Curious Comedy Productions
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 212 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
CURIOUS COMEDY THEATER'S MISSION IS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND SENIORS THROUGH THE ART OF COMEDY. CURIOUS COMEDY ACHIEVES ITS MISSION THROUGH YEAR-ROUND PRODUCTIONS AT ITS THEATER IN NE PORTLAND COVERING IMPROV, SKETCH, AND STAND UP AMONG OTHER FORMATS.
- Income
- $569,964
- Spending
- $615,241
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- -2.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 77%
- Employees
- 21
- Volunteers
- 4
- Highest pay
- $76,721, managing director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 24 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 59% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 212 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 254 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $331,454 spent. WE PROGRAM A VARIETY OF PRODUCTIONS, YEAR-ROUND. THIS INCLUDES A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION THAT RUNS EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, WHICH CHANGES EVERY SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS, IN ADDITION TO MONTHLY ONGOING SHOWS. MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS STAR THE RESIDENT PERFORMANCE ENSEMBLE AND PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF COMEDY THEATER BY ADAPTING GENRES TO INNOVATE THE FORM. THE MONTHLY ONGOING SHOWS ARE A VARIETY OF FORMATS THAT NURTURE NEW TALENT AND ENCOURAGES NEW ARTISTS TO WORK WITH OUR ENSEMBLE.
- $169,122 spent. WE OFFER CLASSES YEAR-ROUND THROUGH THE CURIOUS COMEDY TRAINING CENTER. OUR TRAINING CENTER INCLUDES THREE LEVELS OF IMPROV, STAND UP, AND SKETCH WRITING, AS WELL AS WORKSHOPS LED BY GUEST ARTISTS. THE TRAINING CENTER IS INTENDED AS A TRAINING GROUND FOR THE MAINSTAGE, AND WE DRAW ON STUDENT TALENT TO CONTINUE TO GROW OUR PERFORMANCE ENSEMBLE AND COMMUNITY.
- $26,179 spent. OUTREACH, TRAINING AND DIGITAL MEDIA: WE HAVE DEVELOPED DIGITAL MEDIA THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTING CORE PROGRAMS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2008.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.